Pavement Ants In Vancouver

Pavement ants are also known as Tetramorium caespitum, they are a very common form of ants in Vancouver. They get their name from the common places where their nests are found - inside or underneath pavement cracks, under sidewalks, foundations, driveways, and other cemented areas. However, pavement ants can also nest in exposed areas such as in decaying wood, in masonry, and under stones.

Pavement ants are very territorial and can fight with other pavement ant colonies to defend their territory and attack when they need to expand their territory into a new area that has an ant colony already, especially in the spring and early summer.

They do not cause structural damage to buildings but can constitute a nuisance especially when there is an expansion of their colony. They are swarming insects, when looking for potential nesting sites they may be troubling to residents and landlords.

Pavement ants are one of the major ants in Vancouver and are drawn to heat sources and sometimes fly upward and around lights and to other warm places- this makes Vancouver an ideal ground for them. Therefore, this article is dedicated to enlighten you about pavement ants in Vancouver, so read on.

HOW TO IDENTIFY PAVEMENT ANTS

Pavement ants are dark brown to black in color having six legs and an antenna with wings. They typically measure 2.5 – 3.0 millimeters in length. They actually have a stinger which is primarily used when fighting with other ants because they are highly territorial, but they are rarely aggressive towards humans.

Request a Quote

Or Call: (604) 229-1097

Estimate

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
What attracts pavement ants in Vancouver

HOW DO PAVEMENT ANTS GET IN?

Pavement ants are nuisance ants in Vancouver whose populations are increasing daily. This is because Vancouver is a suitable ground for pavement ants to nest. It is a tropical region; therefore they are drawn to it especially during cold winter months.

They enter homes through cracks in the building’s concrete slab, bathroom traps, sub-slab heating ducts, and other small gaps. These ants are capable of following a trail as far as 30 feet when foraging and multiple colonies can infest a single structure and cause trouble for residential and commercial customers.

Pavement ants, both the natural scavengers and outdoor pavement ants can thrive in human environments because they can feed on almost everything such as meat, plants grease, bread, and other edible substance they come in contact with though they have a strong preference for aphids and honeydew that they secret.

WHAT ATTRACTS PAVEMENT ANTS?

Pavement ants are also called “sugar ants” which should not be confused with Camponotus consobrinus an Australian ant that is also called “sugar ants. They are mostly attracted to sugar and crumbs from sweet foods and can also be attracted by fats, grease, proteins, grains, cereal, and pet food. Having these food items littered in your home calls their attention.

HOW TO IDENTIFY A PAVEMENT ANT INFESTATION

Generally, most pavement ants choose to stay outdoors, but you will tend to find these ants inside when they hunt for food, and sometimes when seeking sources of heat during winter. They migrate along pipes and baseboards, electrical lines, close to edges of carpeting, cracks and holes in buildings. You can identify their infestation through the following ways;

  • When you find a dark brown or black ant consistently over a period of time especially in the kitchen, they might be nesting somewhere close inside your home. These trails you see are the pavement ant worker hunting for food.
  • A heap of ant dump which is usually dirt, tiny pieces of concrete or mortar, debris pushed out when pavement ants make their nest are signs that they are in your home.
  • When you see swarming insects, that is, a large number of insects moving in one direction. This usually occurs when they are migrating to a new colony within your home or fighting against another pavement ant colony.
Pavement ant infestation Vancouver
How to control pavement ants in Vancouver

HOW TO CONTROL PAVEMENT ANTS

Pavement ants can be very difficult to control. Though these ants do not pose a risk to public health, they can contaminate your food and must be avoided. So the best method is to prevent them as much as possible. The following are ways you can prevent them.

  • Proper sanitation of the environment: making your home inhabitable for insects as much as possible by keeping things as clean as possible and reducing the foods that attract them to the minimum level.
  • Eradicate stagnant water around your home, pests such as ants are attracted to a moisture-rich environment.
  • Make sure that there are no cracks in slabs, gaps in utilities, or little openings around your home because these insects use these as passages to get into your house to forage for food or to seek warm spots during winter.
  • Cut back tree branches and other plants that are close to your home, sometimes these ants use this as a means of getting into your home.
  • Eliminate waste properly; your trash bin should be covered properly.
  • Pavement ant does not damage woods but they can make their nest in it, so make sure you remove woods and other building materials that are stacked close to your home

Having followed these ways of preventing them, their nests can be very difficult to locate, and most products for ants control are ineffective on pavement ants as sometimes the treatments may only affect the pavement ant workers leaving the queens which may lead to reproductive overdrive and more colonies are formed and they continue to survive.

It is best to contact a pest technician that is skilled and trained for pavement ants removal to assist you to locate nesting areas and identify conditions contributing to the infestation and finally eradicate them from your home.

At Pesticon Pest Control, we ensure to satisfy you optimally by providing professional services that eliminate pests. Our trained pest technicians ensure your homes and offices are free of this pest. We are quick to respond to your urgent calls. Contact us now for ant control in Vancouver!!!

GOOGLE REVIEWS

5 Star Average Rating | 40+ Reviews
We have been using this company for five years. They are so friendly and easy to work with. They come every quarter and we never have any issues with ants or bugs. The techs are so courteous and friendly. I work with a lady on scheduling and she is amazing. We signed up for their mosquito spray this year. Anxious to see how it works. Highly recommend this very thorough and professional company.
Ray Booth
Ray Booth
2 years ago
Reached out to Pesticon Pest Control after a search turned up good reviews. Appreciated their ability to fit into my schedule. What thing I do value is the level of information that they shared on how to treat the issue I was experiencing around my house and how to prevent it from re-occurring. They went over a series of options, and made sure I felt comfortable with the option selected. The place they serviced was left in great shape after their work was completed. Definitely recommend using them again.
Mark Wong
Mark Wong
2 years ago
Just had my spring quarterly treatment and as usual had a pleasant experience. Have used Pesticon Pest Control now for 4 years and are on a quarterly program with them. We met them when we had termites and they were wonderful to deal with, gave us recommendations for the repair, and came back during the repair to treat new wood and existing wood. Have had random pests (huge wasp nest, driller bees) and when I have called, they were out to my house quickly with no charge because of being on their program. They also offer suggestions for your yard with landscape and mulch to make sure you don't damage the Centricon system. Have recommended them to many!
Stephen Rios
Stephen Rios
2 years ago
One of the big reasons Pesticon Pest Control is so successful is because of the dedicated, professional staff working there. In particular, the receptionist to the owner, is an invaluable resource there. She is so prompt, with her communications between employees, customers and others doing business there that nothing falls through the cracks. Her response times are first rate too. Any business owner would be grateful to have an employee that is dedicated and capable.
Mattéo Lamy
Mattéo Lamy
2 years ago
Great service and highly recommended! Started the preventive pest control service this summer and it's been such a pleasant experience. I emailed Pesticon Pest Control so many times for a variety of questions on carpenter ants, regular ants, centipede, etc. but they are always super responsive and really takes time to address our concern. Thank you Pesticon Pest Control!
Rose Lawrence
Rose Lawrence
2 years ago

CALL US NOW TO REMOVE PESTS

Areas We Serve

Our Expert Pest Control Technicians serve Vancouver and the surrounding area with same day or next day service. If you're having a pest or wildlife control issue, please contact us for a free quote.

  • Downtown Vancouver
  • North & West Vancouver
  • Burnaby
  • New Westminster
  • Tri-Cities
  • Richmond
  • Surrey
  • North Delta
  • White Rock
  • Langley City
  • Ladner & Tsawwassen
  • Pitt Meadows